What if getting older isn’t why you’re tired all the time? What if it’s something super simple and fixable? Don’t brush off your low energy levels as just part of getting older.
Many people do that though… They settle for feeling lousy and tired all the time because they consider it a normal fact of life.
Just because something is common, however, doesn’t mean it’s normal.
You can’t control getting older, but you can control lots of other things, such as these 9 simple fixes to your failing energy below:
1. You may not be consuming enough protein and healthy fats.
Do you eat mostly cereal, breads, pastas, and baked goods? Think about it… I’ll wait a minute while you remember the food you ate for the past 24 hours.
You may not be eating a balance of macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates). Your body depends on these 3 things to function properly.
If you’re eating more carbs than protein or fats, you’re going to crash quickly.
Carbs are like kindling in a fire: they burn quickly and we get hungry quicker. Fats are like logs in a fire: they burn slower and we are satiated for longer.
We need both, along with protein, to have sustained energy throughout the day.
So if you start your day with just cereal, then have a sandwich for lunch, and have pasta for dinner, no wonder you’re tired!
Aim for your plate containing 30% protein, 30% fat, and 40% carbs and you’re on your way to feeling “alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic!”
Anyone sing that song at camp? Remember the hand motions? Anyway, I’m getting sidetracked…
2. Your vitamin and mineral levels may be low.
Our bodies depend on nutrients like vitamins and minerals in order to function at optimum levels.
If your levels are low, you’re going to get tired real quick.
Some common energy-influencers to check are iron levels, Vitamin D levels, and levels of your B vitamins. These are simple blood tests your doctor can run.
You can also be sure to include foods these items, such as red meat, eggs, and grass-fed butter to help increase your iron, Vitamin D, and B vitamin levels.
3. You may not be getting enough sleep.
Figuring out the underlying causes of sleep issues is very important to being able to restore your energy levels.
Perhaps your pet wakes you up every hour, you have sleep apnea, or you drink caffeine after 3pm every day. Do some investigating to see what it might be, and then try to fix it.
Also, try these tips:
- Always get up around the same time, even on the weekends. Your body will eventually adjust and you’ll sleep better.
- Go to bed earlier than normal if you need extra sleep. As long as you wake up around the same time every morning, it’s ok to have a flexible bedtime.
- It’s best not to take naps, but if you have to, make sure it’s 30 minutes or less. If you sleep longer than that, your body will want more and you’ll just be groggy when you wake up. And probably drag through the rest of your day.
- Before bedtime, try some gentle, calming herbs such as chamomile tea.
- Grab your free One-Day Plan for the Best Sleep Ever
4. You may not be getting enough water.
One of the first signs of dehydration is fatigue. In fact, if your body’s water content drops by as little as 2%, it will cause fatigue.
A drop in 10% will cause significant health problems such as digestive issues, cardiovascular issues, immune issues, and/or musculoskeletal issues.
Sound horrible? Drink water.
A good general guideline is to aim for drinking half your weight in ounces each day.
5. You may not be eating enough.
Do you skip breakfast because you’re “too busy?” Or do you skip lunch because you’re “too busy?” Stop that. No wonder you’re tired!
Food is fuel. If you don’t fill up your car with gas, how do you expect to drive it anywhere?
Eating 3 meals a day with a balance of macronutrients (see #1 above) can help keep your blood sugar levels steady and prevent your energy from dropping.
6. You may be drinking too many diuretics.
What the heck are diuretics, you ask? Diuretics are foods, drinks, or medicines that increase the rate at which liquid is processed through your kidneys, hence increasing urination and decreasing water absorption.
They include coffee, caffeinated tea, alcohol, dandelion root tea, parsley, etc.
In order to get enough water each day, you must drink 12-16 more ounces of water for every 8 ounces of diuretics, or else you could end up dehydrating yourself (see #4 above).
Also, caffeine can give you energy in the short-term but will usually leave you crashing later, and searching for your next “fix!”
Lastly, alcohol depresses your central nervous system and reduces your blood sugar levels. This will leave you feeling sleepy!
So no beers at lunch if you’ve got important calls to make or meetings to attend in the afternoon! The sedative effect of alcohol can be especially strong during the day, as opposed to the night.
7. You may not be moving your body enough.
You’ve heard this one before – our sedentary lives are killing us, yada, yada, yada.
But seriously though… Get off your tushy.
Getting at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day gives you an energy boost.
That’s right! Just like money, you gotta spend energy to make energy!
- Go for a short walk.
- Go for a bike ride.
- Skip around the block if you want!
Also, people who exercise regularly tend to sleep better (see #3 above).
8. You may be working too much.
I’m not just talking about your day job. I’m talking about everything you do: your day job, your family duties you have when you come home, even social events.
Make a list of the 10 most important things you have to do each day and then cut out the bottom 5. Only do your top 5 every day.
You’ll feel better having lightened your load and you’ll have increased energy to tackle the next day.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Lastly, taking some relaxation time allows your body to catch up and recuperate, which can actually increase your energy levels. Take a bath, do some yoga, grab lunch with a friend, or just call a loved one.
9. You may have food intolerances.
The food you eat is either helping or hurting your energy levels.
You know that processed food, excess carbohydrates, and empty calories are bad for you, right? This “bad-ness” typically begins by zapping your energy.
Aside from eating crap, could you be gluten intolerant? A simple blood test will answer this for you.
Underlying food intolerances such as gluten, gluten-free grains, and dairy can cause fatigue.
So head to your doctor to get it checked out.
I had these tests done and learned that I’m gluten intolerant as well as intolerant of oats. A huge hearty bowl of oatmeal was one of my favorite ways to start my day! But I feel so much more energetic having cut those things out of my diet.
There you have it, folks! Fatigue can affect every aspect of your life: your relationships, your job, your hobbies, everything.
Not counting people struggling with daily low-grade fatigue, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome affects more than 1 million Americans. That’s more people in the United States than multiple sclerosis, lupus, and many types of cancer.
So if there’s something simple you can do to increase your energy, don’t you want to at least try it?
Let me know in the comments below which of these you’re going to investigate in order to boost your energy levels. I’d love to hear from you!
If you’re always tired and you’re finding that you need some healthy eating guidance, click here for some one-on-one nutritional and lifestyle coaching from yours truly.